Tobacco Control Strategy 2024 to 2029

In England, smoking claims over 200 lives daily and contributes significantly to the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived in society. It is still the single largest preventable cause of illness and premature death. If smoking was obsolete in England, over £11.4 billion would go back into communities’ and families’ pockets and one million fewer children would be living in poverty.

This can be broken down as follows:

• Productivity costs £284.8 million
• Healthcare costs £13.8 million
• Social care costs £8.8 million
• Fire costs £2.3 million

In England there have been concerted efforts to reduce the number of smokers in the population, with prevalence reducing from 45% in 1974 to 13% of adults in 20211 . There are inequalities related to tobacco use. The use of tobacco and the associated harms continue to fall hardest on some people in our communities, for example, those with a serious mental illness or those in routine and manual roles are more likely to be smokers. In Buckinghamshire, around 1 in 10 people smoke1 . Reducing levels of smoking in the local population is a priority in the Buckinghamshire Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022- 2025. This tobacco control strategy also supports the work of local NHS Trusts to deliver the tobacco dependency service requirements of the NHS Long Term Plan (2019).

The focus is on preventing young people from starting, tackling illegal tobacco and vapes, creating smoke-free areas, and helping those in communities with higher smoking rates to quit. Preventing the next generation from starting to smoke and discouraging young people from starting vaping are key priorities.

The Buckinghamshire Tobacco Control Strategy 2024-2029 outlines our approach to achieving these goals. Everyone, whether in schools, workplaces, communities, or hospitals, has a role in reducing tobacco-related harm in Buckinghamshire.